Critic’s picks: Pop music

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JAY Z
After a pair of triumphant shows at Fenway Park with Justin Timberlake this past summer, Jay Z comes back to town in support of last year’s “Magna Carta Holy Grail.” Recent set lists suggest the hip-hop heavyweight is culling from a wide swath of his career, too. Jan. 18, 8 p.m. Tickets: $30-$147.50. TD Garden. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

PIXIES
For a band that hasn’t put out a full-length studio album since 1991’s “Trompe le Monde,” the Pixies have generated a lot of buzz lately. In September, the seminal alt-rock group, which took root in Boston, released “EP1,” followed by “EP2” last week, both of which prove the Pixies still rock harder and heavier than bands half their age. They’re also performing without bassist Kim Deal, who departed the lineup last year. Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $43.50-$63.50. Orpheum Theatre. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com